


Not Another Fic About Love

by Snugglebuttkitten



Series: AU August [9]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Agreste Brothers AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, But Nino and Adrien are still best friends, Cheng Sisters AU, Chloe and Adrien are the main BROTP in this, Gabriel owns Coffee Shops, Ladybug is a famous fashion designer, Original Character(s), Single Parent AU, Song Fic!!!, Sort of a Life Swap AU, Summer Camp AU, but only in flashbacks, enemies to lovers AU, no powers au, some adrigami, some lukanette
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-21
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2019-06-30 14:13:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15753363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snugglebuttkitten/pseuds/Snugglebuttkitten
Summary: Ever since they were young, Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste have hated each other with a burning passion. Now, Marinette is 26 Years old and a lot of things have changed in the last few years. She took on the name 'Ladybug' and founded La Coccinelle Chanceuse Boutique, now one of the most famous fashion Boutiques in all of Europe, and started 'Fashion Bug Tells All', a wildly popular fashion blog that is on the verge of being published. Oh, and she had a kid with her now ex-fiancee Luka Couffaine. But the one thing that hasn't changed? Her hatred for one Adrien Agreste.Meanwhile, Adrien Agreste has been gearing up to take over for his father at one of the Akuma Coffee Houses. He is content with his life. He has a good job, a loving father and stepmother, and even though their relationship didn't work out, is still good friends with his ex-wife Kagami. He has a kid who he loves to pieces and a cat that tolerates his presence most of the time. And then Marinette Dupain-Cheng stumbles back into his life and suddenly, his once dull routine becomes a lot more exciting. Especially when there's something about the raven-haired beauty that he just can't bring himself to fully hate anymore.





	1. Let it Out (Been Building Up You Better Let It Out)

**Author's Note:**

> Please note this fic is also a Song Fic and I will link the song below. You don't have to listen to it but it's a great song and the title is derived FROM the song and it really gets the emotions of the story xD

**Okay, as promised, here is the link to the song I used as inspiration. It's called[Not Another Song About Love](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPlv-d7Poss), and I gave you the Nightcore version because that's the one I first listened to upon finding the song about a year or so ago, but if you want to look up the original artist it's by Hollywood Endings. Happy reading!**

~~**________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________** ~~

_19 Years Ago_

“We’re here! We’re here, we’re here, we’re finally here!” Marinette Dupain-Cheng shrilled, midnight pigtails bobbing excitedly as she glued herself to the backseat window. The family car rolled past the sign that proclaimed their official arrival at _Camp Miraculeux_ , pulling up before the main cabin before stopping completely. The little raven-haired child was out of the car like a shot, bouncing around the packed dirt of the parking lot and taking everything in with saucer-like blue eyes. After all, it was her first time attending Camp Miraculeux. Her older sister, Bridgette, had been attending the camp for five whole years now ever since she had turned five. Marinette was supposed to have started two years ago when she was five as well, but she had been really sick for a while and couldn’t attend. Now, she was all better though and ready to experience all the amazing things her sister had told her about the past few years.

The older Dupain-Cheng girl slipped out of the car at a much more sedate pace. After all, she was ten years old and practically grown. It wouldn’t do to act as childish and excitable as her seven-year-old sister… even if being back at camp sent a thrill of excitement racing down her spine. Bridgette, being the responsible older sibling, assisted her parents in pulling their bags out of the trunk while Marinette dashed back and forth across the lot, taking in everything she possibly could from the breeze rustling the tree branches overhead to the butterflies, dragonflies, bees, and ladybugs fluttering about in the warm afternoon air. It didn’t take long to unload the bags and Bridgette called out to her sister to hurry up as they headed up the front steps of the Main Cabin, which she knew housed the Camp Office and the Infirmary. The younger girl quickly scampered over to join them, positively vibrating with excitement, and they soon entered the air-conditioned building.

The cool air was a welcome reprieve from the summer heat outside. Bridgette, having been here several times before, took the lead and headed straight for the reception desk where a scrawny man in his mid-twenties sat, purple hair carefully combed into submission. His pale violet-blue eyes warmed with recognition as he spotted her and the young girl grinned as she came to a halt before his desk. “Hi, Monsieur Nooroo. We’re here to check in and get our cabin assignments,” Bridgette said by way of greeting.

“Hello, Miss Cheng. So nice of you to come back for another summer. And I see you’ve finally brought your little sister you’re always talking about with you. Marinette, was it?” Nooroo spoke in a soft, subdued voice but his smile was warm and gentle when his gaze flicked from Bridgette to Marinette. The younger Dupain-Cheng child gave a shy smile and shrank back, clinging to the folds of her father’s pants.

“She’s a little nervous about starting camp,” Tom Dupain, the girls’ father, explained with an apologetic smile. His massive hand dropped down to settle atop the child’s pigtailed head and when she glanced up, he had a warm smile across his face. Nooroo nodded in understanding.

“Well, Mlle. Marinette, a lot of our younger campers are pretty nervous to be starting camp for the first time as well. Most of our campers are here from the time they’re five, so most everyone knows everyone in your age group. However,” he adds when the child’s shoulders droop with disappointment and apprehension, “we do have one other child starting this year who will be in your age group.”

“Really?” The younger girl whispered, hope shining in her blue eyes. Making friends with someone who was also new and in her age group sounded easier than fighting to fit in with groups of already established friends. Nooroo nodded with a kind smile on his lips and a twinkle in his eye. He understood the need to fit in all too well, after all.

“Tell you what, Mlle. Marinette. After we get you and your sister sighed in and assigned to your cabins, I’ll have one of our head counselors set up a meeting between you and our other newcomer. Would you like that?” He asked, rising from his desk and turning towards the filing cabinet behind him.

“Yes, please, Monsieur Nooroo,” the little girl whispered, edging out from behind her father a bit. Nooroo paused to shoot her a wink over his shoulder before continuing his search through the filing cabinet. Finally, he produced two folders. One was almost empty, only a sheet with basic information such as date of birth, known allergies, and the like on it. The other was significantly thicker, containing five years of accomplishments at the camp. After a bit of paperwork, the girls were signed in and assigned their cabins. Marinette would be with the seven to eight-year-old girls in the Baby Bug cabin, while Bridgette would be with the nine to twelve-year-old girls in the Junior Bug Cabin.

Tom and Sabine thanked Nooroo and led their girls out the back door and down the weathered path towards their respective cabins. They dropped Bridgette off first, confident that she would be able to manage by herself, before leading Marinette to her own cabin. Naturally, there were some tears as nerves got the best of the little girl. After all, it was her first time being away from her parents and that was scary stuff. Eventually, her tears dried and she was finally able to bid her parents a final goodbye. Marinette busied herself after her parents had left with putting her stuff away in the little trunk at the end of her bed, before stuffing her bags under the bed and out of the way. She only left out Lucky, her stuffed ladybug, and her sketchbook which she stuffed under her pillow case.

Not long after she had finished putting her stuff away, there was a knock at the door and a red-haired woman with black bangs and wide blue eyes swept in. She had a friendly, dimpled smile that immediately drew the young girl in. “You must be Mlle. Marinette. I’m Tikki Fu, Counselor of the Lucky Bug Cabin and one of the Head Counselors of Camp Miraculeux. Nooroo told me about you. Are you ready to meet our other newcomer in the seven-year-old division?” Tikki asked with a wink. Marinette nodded shyly, and when Tikki offered her a hand she immediately slipped her smaller hand into the older woman’s grasp. Tikki led her out of the cabin, back along the beaten path, and down towards the lake where the boy cabins were located. They eventually came across one cabin painted neon green with black paw prints.

“The Kitten Cabin,” Tikki explained, rapping quickly on the door. A gruff voice called out, permitting them entrance, and Tikki immediately pulled open the door and held it open for the child. Marinette hesitantly mounted the steps and stepped into the cabin. The interior was almost identical to the Baby Bug Cabin, except for the color scheme. The cabin was vacant save for two people, a man in his mid-twenties much like Tikki and Nooroo, with shaggy black hair and sharp green eyes, and a boy who looked to be Marinette’s age. The boy was sitting on the edge of a bunk, legs kicking idly, head turned down so that his golden hair obscured his eyes. Tikki was undeterred.

“Marinette, this is Plagg Fu. He runs the Black Cat Cabin and is another one of our Head Counselors. There are five of us altogether, and you’ll get to meet Trixx, Wayzz, and Duusu tonight during our first Campfire. And this is Adrien Agreste, our other newcomer,” she introduced, gesturing to each in turn. The man eyed her thoughtfully before snorting and turning away, while the little boy didn’t react at all. Marinette shifted awkwardly, looking between Plagg and Tikki before finally gathering her courage and approaching the boy. She offered a shy smile and stuck out a hand as she came to a halt in front of him.

“H-hi, Adrien. I’m Marinette,” she said expectantly. The boy didn’t so much as react to the sound of her voice. His eyes remained downcast, shoulders hunched inward. She shifted, wondering briefly if he hadn’t heard her. So she repeated herself, but again the boy didn’t react. Grunting, Plagg reached over and smacked the blonde across the back of his head with a scowl.

“She’s talkin’ to you, kid,” he scolded, pointedly ignoring the disapproving look Tikki sent his way. After a long moment, the boy finally inched his head up just enough so that his green eyes were visible through the mop of blonde hair. The boy looked at her, and she looked at the boy and neither of them spoke. Marinette wasn’t quite sure what to do with herself, rocking back and forth on her heels. She shot a look over her shoulder at Tikki, who looked as much as a loss as she was.

“Um… it’s okay if you’re shy. I get shy sometimes too,” Marinette tried, kind of wishing she were anywhere but in that cabin. Maybe making friends with the other girls in her cabin would be easier after all. The boy finally shifted, head inching up a bit more to give her a nervous smile. She relaxed, thinking she had finally broken through and would get an actual response out of the boy… that is until his face screwed up and his eyes widened in horror. The sharp gurgle from his stomach was the only warning she got before the blonde boy pitched forward and vomited all over her shiny new light-up sneakers. Marinette’s responding shriek of horror could be heard all throughout Camp Miraculeux.

 ~~~~  


_15 Years Ago_

Adrien Agreste was positively buzzing with excitement as he sat in the back of the silver sedan. Finally, after years and years of begging, his father was allowing him to attend public school. After being homeschooled for the past eleven years, only permitted to make real friends that one summer he went to Summer Camp, it felt like a win to him. Really, Adrien had only kept in contact with one of his friends from Summer Camp, a girl named Chloe Bourgeois. She was the daughter of the Mayor, which is probably the only reason his father permitted their contact to continue. They still didn’t get to hang out much between his homeschooling and learning about his father’s ever-growing business, but it was something at least. And at the end of the day, Chloe had somehow managed to convince _Gabriel Agreste_ to allow his only son to attend public school. Gabriel _the most paranoid and overprotective parent in the world_ freaking Agreste. That, in and of itself, was a feat.

The car finally pulled up in front of Francoise Dupont Middle School and the eleven-year-old boy paused just before his fingers could wrap around the door handle. Despite his excitement, a sudden pulse of nervousness ran through him making him feel a bit sick to his stomach. That one year of summer camp seemed so long ago now, but Adrien still remembered how hard making friends it was. Especially after he became known as Vomit Boy after puking all over some poor girl’s shoes. She had just wanted to be friends and he had utterly demolished any chances he might have had at friendship with her and almost everyone else. Really, he had tried to make it up to her but she had just snubbed him the whole summer while hanging out with her sister and another girl from her cabin. He was also pretty sure she had started the whole Vomit Boy thing but he could never be sure and really, he kind of deserved it.

Sometimes he still wondered if the only reason Chloe had given him the time of day was because of his last name. After all, his father was Gabriel Agreste, the Parisian King of Coffee. He ran a series of high end and wildly popular shops called Akuma Coffee House and was planning on branching out to other cities around France in the next few years. His coffee was rumored to be some of the best in all of France if not all of Europe. That basically made him the Prince of Coffee and, well, Chloe Bourgeois had always wanted to be a Princess. So much so, she might even settle for Princess of Coffee, if he had any romantic feelings towards her whatsoever. Which he didn’t because a) he was only eleven years old and b) girls were okay as friends but they had cooties and if he kissed one then _he_ would get cooties and if _Adrien Agreste, Prince of Coffee_ got Cooties his father would _murder_ him. Adrien did not want to be murdered anytime soon. It sounded painful and unpleasant and really, really permanent. Too permanent for an eleven-year-old because really, death was like forever and forever was a really, really long time. So yeah, no kissing or cooties for him.

The point of the matter was, though, that summer at camp had been really hard in the whole making friends department. And as much as Adrien yearned to go to school and be a normal kid, a part of him was really scared that people wouldn’t like him. Chloe was a great friend but he wanted more than just one friend. He wanted to be accepted by his classmates and if that didn’t happen well… he wasn’t sure what he would do! Pulling his hand back slightly, he struggled to breathe in and out through his mouth, hoping the controlled breaths would calm his suddenly frazzled nerves. Instead, it only made him more nervous and he was on the verge of a mild panic attack when his door was yanked open and a pair of bright blue eyes met his.

“Adrikiins, you _made_ it!” Chloe squealed, not giving him a chance to worry any longer as she yanked him out of the car and into a bear hug. She was surprisingly strong despite her slim figure and hug was comfortingly crushing.

“Hey… Chloe…” he managed to wheeze out as the air was forcibly crushed from his lungs. She released him and beamed widely up at him and slowly he felt his nerves begin to settle. At the very least, there was one person who was genuinely happy to see him. He could worry about the other stuff later.

“Are you ready for your first day, Adrichou? Do you have all your supplies? Did you get your class schedule yet?” Chloe asked, fluttering about him like a worried mother hen. He couldn’t help but laugh affectionately at her fussing.

“I’m good, Chlo. I have everything I need, including my best friend,” he assured, slinging an arm over her shoulder. The blonde positively preened under his attention and he took a moment to study her outfit and compare its classiness with his own… to ensure he would fit in. Chloe was wearing a chic yellow jacket above a white and black striped tee-shirt. A bedazzled belt was slung around her waist and she wore white skinny jeans and flats. Her ever-present diamond necklace was around her neck and Adrien knew it was the last gift she had received from her mother before she died from cancer. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail with a pair of white-rimmed sunglasses sitting atop her head. Adrien felt that overall, he had done fairly well in dressing himself.

The boy was wearing a black tee-shirt with three horizontal lines over the chest in yellow, green and purple. Over that he had on a white, sort of dressy overshirt with the sleeves rolled to just above his elbows, a brown belt, and generic blue skinny jeans. A pair of orange and white high top converse completed the look. The clothes were fairly high end, considering they all came straight from the newest line put out by the Dupain-Cheng Fashion House, which was only the biggest fashion house in all of Europe. His golden blonde hair was neatly styled. Since Chloe hadn’t said anything, he would just assume he looked presentable until told otherwise. The blonde girl wasn’t one to really hold back her opinion, after all.

“Come on, Adrikiins, we don’t want to be late!” Chloe said suddenly as a shrill alarm sounded through the yard. He could only assume it was the warning bell (he watched anime so he knew what school bells were, thank you very much) because everyone else was heading inside now too. Allowing Chloe to guide (aka drag) him inside and up the stairs, Adrien soon found himself in a classroom and shoved into a seat in the first row on the side closest to the door. “This is your seat, Adrichou. Sabrina and I sit right behind you!”

Adrien looked to where she pointed, mildly relieved to have his only friend sitting so close, and took to adjusting himself in his seat and getting properly settled while she retreated to her seat with Sabrina. When he had a notebook and pen sitting neatly in front of him, he turned to his seatmate for the first time with what he hoped was a friendly enough smile. The boy sitting next to him was rather scrawny, with deep caramel skin and short brown hair mostly hidden beneath a red ball cap. He was dressed simply in a blue tee-shirt and jeans with a pair of expensive-looking orange headphones pulled up over his ears. His head was bobbing lightly to whatever he was listening to as he doodled what looked like bubbles in the margins of his notebook. Adrien took a fortifying breath, mentally telling himself that making friends required proactivity, and reached over to tap the other boy on the shoulder. Golden brown eyes behind thick-rimmed glasses swung his way and, after a moment’s hesitance, the boy reached up and tugged the headphones off.

“Uh… Hey. Adrien,” he introduced himself with a smile, offering his hand to his table mate. The other boy made no attempt to take the offered hand, keeping one arm folded across the desk while the other propped his head up. His expression wasn’t exactly friendly; if anything he looked vaguely annoyed and perhaps a little disgusted and when he spoke his tone was dry and sarcastic.

“You’re friends with Chloe, then, huh?” The boy asked, nodding in the direction of the blonde girl. Confused, Adrien turned to see his best friend hovering over the desk beside his while her redheaded friend Sabrina crouched beside it. As he watched, Chloe pulled a piece of chewing gum from her mouth and handed it off to Sabrina who placed it on the bench seat of the desk. His green eyes widened at her actions and he immediately rose in protest.

“Hey, what’s that all about?” He demanded. The girl barely glanced at him as she responded, a satisfied smile on her lips.

“The brats that sat here yesterday need a little attitude adjustment. I’m just commanding a bit of respect, that’s all!” Chloe said with a shrug. Adrien shot her a disapproving look as he stepped past her and crouched beside the desk as well.

“Think that’s really necessary?” He asked as he began to fiddle with the gum, trying to remove it from the seat. It was disgustingly sticky and he grimaced as it squelched quietly between his thumb and forefinger.

“You have a lot to learn about school culture, Adrikiins,” she responded with a haughty chuckle and a wave of her hand, retreating back to her seat with Sabrina at her heels. “Watch the master.” Adrien chose to just ignore her and continue to try and peel the sticky gum away. He had almost got it when a new voice made him jump and spin around, his expression a cross between startled and, oddly enough, guilt.

“Hey! What are you doing!?” A girl asked, storming up to him from the doorway with another girl at her heels.

“Oh! I- uh…” Adrien began awkwardly, but stopped and turned when twin peals of laughter fell from the second row back where Chloe and Sabrina sat. The raven-haired girl turned to look as well before turning back to him.

“Okay, I get it. Good job, you three. Very funny,” she snapped, disgust evident on her face. Startled by her assumption, the blonde boy shot up in protest.

“No, no! I was just trying to take this off,” he explained, desperate not to make yet _another_ bad first impression.

“Oh, really?” The girl sneered, stepping up close to give him a dirty look before setting the drink in her hand aside and crouching to take over the gum removal. Adrien’s gaze trailed after her, momentarily stunned. Because surely he was mistaken in assuming the girl was who he thought she was. Surely his luck couldn’t be bad enough that he would make such a terrible first impression on the same girl twice, right? “You’re friends with Chloe, _right_?”

“Why do people keep saying that?” He mumbled quietly, momentarily distracted from his thoughts by her question. The girl harrumphed and laid a handkerchief over the gum before standing back up and glaring at him.

“Oh, don’t worry about Marinette, Adrikiins. She’s nothing more than trash. _Mari_ trash,” Chloe said, dissolving into another fit of cruel giggles with Sabrina. The girl paused to glare up at them, but Adrien was no longer listening. Because there was no mistaking that name.

“Marinette? As in… as in Marinette _Dupain-Cheng_?” He asked in breathless horror. It was only when her bluebell eyes flashed to his with another sneer that he realized he had spoken the question aloud rather than in his head as intended.

“Yeah. What of it?” She asked, scowling at him. He fidgeted nervously under her heavy stare, unable to bring himself to respond and admit who he was. He didn’t need to though. He saw her eyes slowly widen in recognition before narrowing once more.

“Adrien? You’re _Adrien Agreste_ ? As in… Vomit boy?” She asked in disbelief. That got a few snickers from the other students in the room and Adrien felt himself shrinking under their judging eyes. Marinette, in turn only seemed to be getting angrier. “Are you _serious_!? First, you puke all over my shoes and now you just-” she gestured wildly at the gum with a wordless growl of fury, while the boy only shrank further and further in on himself, eyes downcast. Which is why he didn’t see her grab and open her cup until it was too late and freezing cold pink smoothie coated his blonde locks and dripped down the collar of his shirt. There was a collective gasp from their classmates, all of them no longer hiding the fact that they were eavesdropping.  

“ _Now_ do see what I mean about respect?” Chloe asked smugly from her seat.

Adrien blinked, stunned and unable to formulate a proper response as Marinette dropped down into her seat with a huff and pointedly turned her back on him. He probably would have stood there all through class if the boy who sat beside him hadn’t gotten up and gently steered him out the door and down the hall to the boy’s bathroom. Adrien stood numbly while the boy helped clean him up, forcing him to ditch the pink stained overshirt and having him bend over the sink to wash his hair and skin. When he was done and drying the boy’s hair with a mass of paper towels, there was a definite pink tinge to his hair. But otherwise, he almost looked as if the whole incident had never happened.

“Why didn’t you tell her it was Chloe’s idea?” Nino asked, finally breaking the silence that had befallen them since leaving the classroom. Adrien sighed, turning around to lean back against the sink as he answered, eyes still downcast.

“I’ve known Chloe since we were seven. I know she’s not perfect but I can’t throw her under the bus. She’s like my only friend,” he explained, peeking nervously up at the other boy. After a moment the boy’s face softened into a friendly smile and he finally stuck out his hand.

“I’m Nino. And it’s time for you to make some new friends, dude,” he said warmly. A hesitant grin curved the blonde’s mouth as he immediately clasped hands with his new friend.

 

It was two days later that Adrien found himself staying after school late to speak to a teacher about extra credit work. His father was kind of overbearing and didn’t believe the teachers were handing out enough homework. Finished at last, the blonde headed down the vacant halls and reflected upon his first few days at school. All things considered, it hadn’t been too bad except for the Marinette incident. Nino had suggested he try to talk to her but in all honesty, Adrien was rather hesitant. He had tried talking to her back when they were seven, too, and that hadn’t worked out well in his favor. Then again, that was four years ago. They were older now and perhaps if he cleared up the misunderstanding they could let bygones be bygones. Maybe even be friends! That is, if the opportunity ever presented itself. So far, he had yet to catch the ravenette alone. She was usually glued to her best friend, Alya’s, side. Shaking away his thoughts and intent on dealing with it tomorrow, he pushed through the heavy double doors and came to a screeching halt.

Well then. If this was fate’s way of telling him to stop being a wimp and man up, fate was frankly kind of a jerk. Cautiously, Adrien stepped out of the doors and let them swing shut behind him with a quiet _bang_. The girl looked up at the sound and he forced himself to smile and give a small wave. She immediately turned her nose up and twisted away from him. His shoulders drooped instantly. Yeah, that went about as well as he had thought it would go. Shaking out his black umbrella, the boy stepped past the girl and up to the  edge of the overhang but something made him pause, staring out at the pounding rain but making no effort to move through it. Finally, he opened his umbrella and glanced back at her.

“I just wanted you to know, I was just trying to take the chewing gum off your seat. I swear,” he began, a nervous smile on his lips. “I’ve never been to school before. I’ve never had friends. It’s all sort of new to me…” He admitted, turning and holding out the umbrella. This time, there was an edge of hope to his smile as the ravenette stared back at him, bluebell eyes wide and luminous in the shadowy archway. Thunder rolled over the sky, startling her briefly and causing her pink lips to part in surprise before finally, her hand lifted slowly towards the umbrella. Adrien’s smile widened expectantly as she hesitated, fingertips just shy of his and the umbrella handle as she seemed to argue internally with herself. The sound of skin slapping skin sounded almost as loud as a boom of thunder in the doorway and the umbrella clattered to the ground in his surprise, rolling down the steps and coming to a halt at the bottom of the staircase. He stared at the girl wide-eyed, clutching his smarting hand, genuinely shocked that she had just knocked the umbrella from his hand. Her face was twisted into a dark glare.

“Listen here, _Agreste_ ,” she snapped, levelling a finger at his chest. “I don’t need your pity. I don’t need your friendship. And I most certainly don’t need you _handouts_ . Not from someone who associates with _Chloe Bourgeois_ of all people,” she snapped, advancing with each word so that it was all the boy could do to stumble backward down the steps, hands raised in defense. The rain continued to pound around them, drenching the pair in seconds, but neither seemed to notice as they stared at each other.

“I’ve dealt with people like you my whole life. You just walk over whoever the hell you want without fear of the consequences because your _daddy_ is rich and will just buy your way out of trouble. Well, that might have worked before, but it won’t work now. Stay out of my way and I’ll stay out of yours, got it?” She hissed. By the time she was finished with her tirade, she was jabbing her finger repeatedly and rather painfully into his chest. Adrien stared at her for a moment, genuinely dumbfounded, before the tight rein he kept on his temper snapped and anger burned through him like an inferno.

“Now just wait a minute,” he snapped, catching her hand in his before she could poke at him again. “I have done _nothing_ to purposely offend you. Not once! First of all, grow the hell up. You’re seriously still peeved about something that happened when we were _seven_!? I was a kid and so were you! _Get over it_!”

“Don’t you _dare_ -” She began, face flushing with anger, but Adrien cut her off before he could finish.

“No, don’t _you_ dare. Don’t you dare cut me off. You’ve said your piece, now it’s my turn! _Second_ of all, I told you I was trying to take the gum off your seat. So what? Chloe’s my friend. _She’s_ not the one who alienated me and called me names at Summer Camp. If I recall correctly, that was _you_. _Chloe_ stood by me and didn’t let the actions of a kid so nervous he got sick define him for the entire summer. So don’t you _dare_ talk badly about her,” he was fairly snarling now, green eyes flashing with rage.

For a moment, the pair stood nose to nose glaring at one another in righteous anger, neither willing to give a little and admit that maybe they were both in the wrong. Marinette for being a brat at summer camp and for wrongly accusing him in class… and Adrien for not speaking up sooner and for letting his temper get the best of him. The rain beat down steadily around them, chilling them to the bone as they glared daggers at each other, their gazes only broken apart by the insistent honking of the silver sedan that sat idling by the curb. With one final sneer tossed at one another, the pair turned without another word and stalked off in opposite directions. Adrien, towards the car waiting impatiently for him at the curb, Marinette towards the house she lived in with her parents a few blocks away. Long after the two had left, the black umbrella lay abandoned and forgotten in the pouring rain. It would not be there when they returned to school the following morning, picked up by a little old Chinese man who had forgotten his own umbrella at home.

 ~~~~  


_7 Years Ago_

Marinette ran her fingers through her thick, shoulder-length hair and let out a world-weary sigh as she exited the building containing her _History of Textiles_ Class. It seemed silly, really, taking a fashion course when she had literally grown up in the world of fashion. Her parents were some of the most innovative designers in all of Europe, after all, and she had definitely gotten their knack for designing clothes. Still, she wanted to branch out from the DC brand, make a name for herself rather than stand in her parentp' shadows her whole life. Besides, she could always stand to learn something new and if nothing else, these classes were a good refresher on things she might have forgotten about in the past. Plus, it wasn’t as if Fashion Design was her only reason for attending the school. She was double majoring this year, taking a few Business Courses. After all, she knew quite a bit of the fashion side of things but she knew very little about the business side and that was pretty essential if she wanted to own her own Boutique one of these days.

Dropping her hand, she gave her head a brief shake as she bounced down the steps, causing the medium-length strands to tickle pleasantly against her chin. It had been about a year since Marinette had done away with the pigtails she’d been wearing since she was four. Entering university, the hairstyle had just seemed way too childish and she wanted to experiment with other hairstyles. She had tried quite a few different styles, even coloring it very briefly, before finally settling on a shoulder-length cut in her natural hair color with the ends slightly curled. She liked the way her hair bounced when she moved and the style made her feel older and more sophisticated than her high school self. Reaching the base of the stairs, the young woman adjusted her hold on the heavy book bag on her back and started across the quad at a swift, even gait, pulling her phone out and powering it up as she did so.

There were a few messages waiting in her inbox when the phone finally turned on. There were a few from her sister, Bridgette, asking her to confirm their plans to go out clubbing that weekend and two from her parents asking her to stop by for dinner sometime that week. There was another from Luka Couffaine, her current boyfriend, asking her if she was free for a coffee date in the morning. Luka was a few years older than her and was in a band. He had studied music for years under the tutelage of his famous father, Jagged Stone, and had a pretty decent following around Europe which he toured frequently doing gigs in various cities. Between his hectic tour schedule and her even more hectic school schedule, it was pretty rare that they ever got to see each other so she answered him first, confirming that yes, she could meet up with him in the morning, before checking the rest of her messages. Most of the remaining texts were from Alya and her boyfriend, Nino, both asking basically the same thing Bri had asked. If they were still on for clubbing that weekend.

Because the sun was shining brightly in the mid-afternoon sky, and because she didn’t have to be in her next class for the next hour, Marinette eventually settled on a bench in the quad and began answering the rest of her texts. She sent a message to her parents first, offering up a day and time she would be free for dinner, before starting a group chat with Nino, Alya, and Bri to finalize their weekend plans. Luckily, her midterm exams would be over by then and she could just let loose and have fun for one night. The very thought had a dreamy sigh escaping her lips. The idea of imbibing in too much alcohol and dancing until her feet ached sounded like the perfect end to the hell that was Midterms week. With her texts sent off, Marinette pulled out the notebook containing notes on her Business Courses that she really needed to memorize before the midterm tomorrow evening.

She soon lost herself in her notes, as she often did, and her surroundings seemed to fall away from her. At least until a shadow blocked out the sunlight moments before someone literally tripped over her. Marinette let out a stream of expletives as her phone which she had been using to double check her calculations was knocked out of her hand, screen shattering on impact. The person who had tripped over her let out his own stream of curses mixed in with a rush of apologies. She turned, intent on assuring him it was okay and she was actually due for a new phone anyway, when her blue eyes met his and the words died in her throat. It had been around four years since she had seen him, ever since his father pulled him out of public school in favor of a private Boarding school (how pretentious), but he hadn’t changed much.

Adrien was broader, more muscular, and had lost the last of his baby fat so that his face was chiseled and well defined, making him strikingly handsome rather than boyishly cute. With his mop of slightly too long honey blonde hair and those intense emerald hued eyes of his, he could easily pass for a model. And she ought to know, considering she had modeled for her parents’ brand for about fifteen years before finally deciding it wasn’t for her. He seemed equally frozen, staring at her in shocked recognition, and she could almost see the cogs turning in his head as he, too, remembered their four years of school together. The constant arguments, the rivalry, the bets and competitions rivaling even Alix and Kim, the mean pranks. Adrien Agreste and Marinette Dupain-Cheng had turned Francoise Dupont Middle School into a veritable warzone during their time there, each trying vainly to oneup the other. Their eyes narrowed almost simultaneously but it was Marinette who got in the first word, her chin jerking up in righteous defiance.

“You did that on purpose, you jerk!” She snapped furiously. How easy it was, to let the familiar anger and hatred flow between them.

“I did not! I didn’t even know it was you until just now, you spoiled brat,” the blonde retorted immediately.

“Yeah, right. You’ve always been a compulsive liar. I should have known _that_ wouldn’t change, even after four years,” she scoffed.

“And you’re still the delusional little pest you were back then. Big surprise there. Tell me, do you ever get tired of all the crap that comes pouring out of you mouth whenever you open it?” Adrien taunted, using his much greater height to his advantage and looming over her. Despite the fact that Adrien stood more than a foot over her petite five foot nothing frame and had probably a hundred pounds of muscle on her, she didn’t so much as flinch back.

“You’re so fucking full of yourself, Agreste. You’re paying for my phone to be repaired,” she snarled. The boy rolled his green eyes heavenward before shooting her a condescending smirk.

“Please. You’ve had that cheap old thing since middle school. Surely you’re due for an upgrade by now,” he said, waving her off.

“Upgrades cost money, asshole,” she pointed out.

“Which you have plenty of, sweetheart,” he said with the most saccharine smile he could muster up. The petite girl stomped her foot and let out a wordless growl of frustration and if Adrien didn’t hate her guts, he might have found the action endearingly cute. But, of course, he _did_ hate her guts so the action came across as more childish than cute. Yeah, totally childish. Nothing else. Definitely not cute in the slightest. Or at least that’s what he told himself as he glared down at her. Geez, she was short, though. The top of her head barely reached the middle of his chest. Adrien had always kind of had a thing for short girls. Not that he was at all interested in _this_ particular short girl.The girl in question was silently fuming before finally looking up and giving him her sweetest smile. The look immediately put him on edge and he half expected her to shank him because Marinette Dupain-Cheng _never_ looked at _him_ like _that_. Not unless he was about to come face to face with death, anyway.

“At least let me use _your_ phone, Adrien. It’s the _least_ you could do after breaking mine,” she said, her smile widening fractionally. Adrien glared at her suspiciously, trying to figure out just what she was up too, before finally sighing and relenting. He handed it over, grudgingly, after inputting the password. After all, as much as he hated the girl there was a good chance she was waiting for a ride or something. Even if he didn’t like her, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if she was forced to walk home because she was unable to contact her ride and something bad hap- the sound of the device shattering broke him out of his jumbled thoughts and he found himself blinking stupidly, staring at ground where his broken phone now lay beneath the heel of her boot. His mouth flapped open and closed in disbelief.

“There, now we’re even,” the girl said sweetly, bending to scoop up both phones and tucking his into the pocket of his black hoodie. She patted his chest, a gesture of mock affection that was as hollow as a rotting log, and turned on her heel. “Thanks for letting me borrow your phone, _Adrikiins_ ,” she called over her shoulder before disappearing down the path towards the Business Major buildings. Adrien blinked, still somewhat shell-shocked and incapable of coming to terms with what had just happened. Finally, he rubbed his forehead in aggravation and turned down the opposite path, heading towards the gym where his girlfriend Kagami was hopefully done with fencing practice. He was so  _not_ looking forward to explaining why the phone she had _just_ got him for his birthday now had the imprint of another woman's heel in the screen.  


	2. Say Everything You've Been Meaning Now (I Want It To Burn)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! Kitty, here ;p So I was laying in bed last night and had the strongest urge to write something related to my favorite trope (love-hate relationships) and then I remembered I ALREADY STARTED ONE. So instead of writing something new, I am returning to work on this fic. Now, a lot has changed with this fic and a few of those things are:  
> 1: Adrien and Kagami were married and divorced and have a daughter; Adrien has full custody but Kagami sees her daughter frequently  
> 2: Marinette and Luka were engaged at one point and have a son; they share joint custody but Luka is never around and is honestly a shit father  
> 3: There is a Ladybug in this but not a superpowered one... you'll see what I mean when you read the chapter
> 
> Now most of you who know me, you know I am the biggest Luka advocate. But in rearranging this story into something I feel I can plausibly write after abandoning it for so long, I decided I needed at least one parent to be the bad guy and since I am almost always hating on Adrigami, I chose to instead make Luka the bad guy in this. So yeah... hope you enjoy ;)

“ _ And in today’s news, Fashion Prodigy Ladybug has taken the world by storm once again. During her latest fashion show, the elusive and usually reclusive designer shocked all in attendance by showing up in person, wearing a dress themed like her namesake. If her appearance wasn’t enough to turn heads, Ladybug continued to shock viewers by announcing she would be holding a contest for young, up-and-coming designers, and that the winner would win an internship with the fashion mogul, herself. Since making her debut when she was nineteen, the only other person Ladybug has ever worked closely with was one Miss Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Miss Dupain-Cheng is rather famous in her own right, due to her connection to the Dupain-Cheng Fashion House owned by her parents, Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng. When asked in the past, Miss Dupain-Cheng admitted that while she had the talent, growing up in the spotlight had made her reluctant to pursue a career as a designer herself and admitted she prefers assisting Miss Ladybug in her fashion endeavors-” _

The television clicked off with an electrical buzz, causing a whine of protest from six-year-old Emma Agreste. The child twisted around from her spot on the white leather couch, emerald eyes already widening pleadingly as she fixed her father with a look of desperation. “ _ Daddy _ , you can’t turn it off  _ now _ ! They were talking about Ladybug again,” she whined in protest, getting up on her knees to better peer over the back of the couch as a pout settled across her face. From the kitchen table, Adrien Agreste flicked his gaze briefly towards his daughter, a gentle smile on his face, before his gaze returned to focus on the laptop and the email he was currently sending off. After six years, he had become quite adept at handling all of Emma’s looks, including her infamous puppy dog eyes, and he wasn’t about to allow her to weasel even a second more of tv time out of him. Not when she had to be on a school bus in ten minutes.

“I’m sorry, Emma, but you haven’t even gotten your shoes on yet and the bus will be here soon. I don’t have time to drive you to school today,” he said with a shrug, sending off the email and closing the laptop before lifting his gaze to meet that of his daughter. Emma Agreste was a perfect mix of her parents. She had her father’s fair skin, dimples, and emerald green eyes, while also possessing her mother’s blue-black hair and almond-shaped eyes. She was petite, but she had an athletic build and was already proving to be a fencing prodigy even at her young age, much like both of her parents before her.

“What if I get ready really,  _ really  _ quick? Then can I watch for just a  _ few more _ minutes?” She pleaded. Adrien hesitated but found himself nodding indulgently a moment later. It really was hard to resist that pouty face of hers. With a squeal of joy, Emma rocketed off the couch and he had to laugh in amusement as he watched her charge around, finding her sparkly pink shoes and pulling them and her backpack on in record time. Within two minutes, she was back to bouncing on the couch in anticipation, and with an affectionate roll of his eyes, he turned the television back on. Nadja Chamack’s voice immediately filled the small living room once more, and Adrien found himself tuning in as well with mild interest. He didn’t care much for fashion, not the way Emma did, but he would be lying if he said he wasn’t a bit intrigued by this Ladybug character. After all, she had come out of nowhere and taken the fashion world by storm with both her innovative designs and her blog,  _ Fashion Bug Tells All. _

_ “...and as promised, here is the clip of Ladybug, crashing her own fashion show and looking stunning in red and black while doing it,” _ Madame Chamack was saying as the clip began rolling. In it, the fashion show suddenly ground to a halt, the lights cutting out before a single backlight and a couple of smoke machines flipped one. Silhouetted against the light was the figure of a slim, petite woman wearing a gown that flowed all the way to the ground. As the lighting shifted, allowing people to make out more details, the woman was revealed to have raven-colored curls pinned at one side with red and black flowers, and deep bluebell eyes set behind a ladybug-themed domino mask. The dress had a form-fitting bodice in deep burgundy with matching gloves that stretched well past her elbows. The skirt was gathered up slightly at one hip with another flower, before flowing out in a bright red skirt with black spots like her mask. She was absolutely breathtaking, especially with that cheeky smile fixed to her face, and if it weren’t for the sudden honking of the school bus outside, he might have sat there transfixed all day. 

Startled from his reverie, Adrien bustled Emma out the door of their small house and to the street where the bus was waiting. By the time he made it back inside, the segment on Ladybug had ended, but it was already too late. Adrien’s interest had been peaked and there was no going back. Especially since there was something hauntingly familiar about those bluebell eyes and that cheeky smile. He just couldn’t place his finger on what that something was. Shaking the stunning woman from his mind, Adrien redirected his focus on making it to work on time. Today he was supposed to be taking over as Manager at one of his father’s Akuma Coffee Houses. This one, known as Chat Blanc, was one of his favorites and one of the more popular of his father’s many venues. Nino Lahiffe, Adrien’s best friend and the manager from another shop, The Bubbler, would be showing him the ropes for the next week and with hope, Adrien would soon find himself following in his father’s footsteps to be the greatest coffee connoisseur that Europe had ever known. That’s if he made it in on time, that is, and wasn’t fired for being late to his first day. With that thought in mind, Adrien grabbed his laptop bag and coat and with one last glance around the small house, headed off for hopefully the first of many good days at work.

  
  
  


Marinette Dupain-Cheng sighed as she finished packing her son’s lunch box, shoving it into his backpack before turning to plate up his breakfast. It was a gorgeous Monday morning, the sun shining and the sound of birds chirping drifting through the open window. Normally, she would already be at the boutique by now, either playing the happy shopkeeper or hiding out in the back where her design studio was located, but today was a special day. It was her son’s seventh birthday. Because of that, Marinette had taken the whole morning off, convincing her older sister to watch the shop while she spent the morning with her baby before sending him off to school. Finished plating up the pancakes, bacon, and eggs she had made for such a happy occasion, Marinette set the plate on the table beside her own breakfast and turned to call for her son, but stopped when her landline started ringing. Bemused, Marinette rounded the marble-topped kitchen island to grab the phone off the receiver, not wanting to miss whoever was calling. Only a handful of people had her house line, after all, and the call could be important.

“Hello? Dupain-Cheng residence,” she said by way of greeting, tucking the phone between her ear and shoulder while turning towards the sink to wash a bit of pancake residue from her hands.

“Marinette, hey! I, uh, didn’t expect you to be home,” the familiar voice of her ex, Luka Couffaine, said from the other end of the line. Turning off the water and grabbing a hand towel, Marinette turned to lean back against the edge of the counter while she dried her hands.

“I took the morning off to hang out with Louis since you’ll have him tonight,” she said with a habitual shrug of her shoulders, despite knowing her ex couldn’t actually see her.

“R-right. Um, yeah. About tonight, Mari,” Luka hedged, an edge of unease entering his voice. A feeling of dread settled in the pit of her stomach.

“You can’t do this, Luka. Not again, not  _ today _ ,” Marinette hissed, bluebell gaze darting up and sweeping over the gourmet kitchen, the dining room, and the foyer beyond to ensure she was alone. Aside from Popcorn, their three-year-old Corgi, she was and she quickly resumed the conversation before that suddenly changed. “You  _ promised _ , Luka.”

“I- I know, Mari, I know. But you see, I got offered this great gig and-”

“I don’t care about your gig! I care about  _ Louis.  _ He’s going to be crushed,” she spat angrily, shoving away from the counter and beginning to pace the large kitchen area.

“He’s a big boy, Marinette. How old is he now, five? Six? He’ll understand,” Luka argued, and if possible she felt herself get even angrier on her son’s behalf.

“He’s  _ seven _ and if you bothered to come around from time to time, you would know that. I don’t even know why I even bother,” she scoffed, pulling the phone from her ear and slamming down the receiver far more forcefully than necessary. For a moment, she stood there gripping the countertop, willing the frustrated tears away. Only when she felt that her emotions were reasonably under control did she turn away, only to freeze at the sight of her son standing in the doorway. Louis had been a surprise, to say the least. She had been nineteen when she and Luka had him, and she had been so scared at the time. She had always wanted kids, but she had imagined she would be married and a few years older when she decided to start a family. The day Louis was born and the doctors placed him in her arms for the first time, however, she stopped being scared. She had looked at him, with his tiny and scrunched up face, and she silently vowed to always protect him, no matter what. Even if that meant protecting him from his own father.

“Hey! I didn’t notice you there. Are you hungry?” She asked, forcing a cheery note to her voice as she grinned widely at the boy. Louis smiled weakly and gave a small nod, his own bluebell eyes meeting his mother’s. Marinette and Luka both had black hair and blue eyes, but Louis obviously took after his mother in looks. He was a small, scrawny kid with shaggy, blue-black hair and eyes that were the exact shade as Marinette’s. He had almond-shaped eyes, fair skin, and a smattering of freckles across his face, and even had his mother’s dimples. He looked almost nothing like his father and had very little in common with the man either. Perhaps it was his lack of interest in music that made Luka dismiss him so often, or maybe the man was just never meant to have kids in the first place. Music would always be Luka’s first and if she were being honest with herself, his only love.

Louis took his seat at the table and Marinette took hers, but the atmosphere was tense and awkward and despite her attempts at drawing her son into a conversation, she was met with a wall of silence. Even Popcorn’s begging didn’t draw a laugh or smile from the child, and usually, the pup’s antics were the highlight of his day. Finishing her breakfast, Marinette finally set her fork down and gave a soft sigh. “So, about tonight,” she hedged. Louis didn’t even look up as he responded dejectedly.

“He isn’t coming, is he?” He asked quietly.

“No, baby, he isn’t. I’m so sorry,” Marinette said gently, reaching out to run her fingers through the boy’s hair. He leaned into her touch slightly, lip quivering as his eyes began to fill with tears. “Oh, sweetie,” Marinette coed, leaning over and wrapping her arms fully around her son. Louis sniffled and hugged her back, but he didn’t start crying the way he used to when his father backed out of a promise. Unfortunately, at only seven, he was way too used to being left hanging and it made Marinette’s blood boil. When the two finally parted, Marinette said, “tell you what. Why don’t you take the day off and come to work with me? We can stop by our favorite coffee shop on the way in, and we can even bring Popcorn with us. It’ll be fun.”

“Okay,” Louis said, the first hint of a smile on his face.

“Okay?” She reiterated, and finally, she was graced with a wide grin from her son as he nodded enthusiastically. “Great, you go get ready and I’ll find Popcorn’s leash,” she said with a wink. Looking much happier than he had before, Louis bolted from his chair and gave his mother a quick kiss on the cheek before racing from the room. Marinette watched him go with a fond smile before rising and going to get ready herself. It looked like today was going to be a shopkeeping day and not a Ladybug day, but that was okay. She was willing to do whatever it took to ensure her son had a great birthday, with or without his father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know what you think!

**Author's Note:**

> Lemme know what you think! Note future chapters won't be as long. I average around 2500-4000 words for chapter length except with my main fic Love You Endlessly which is almost always like 5000+ words per chapter.


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